Baseball Prospect Rankings for 2012
Now updated for 2012's Top Prospects
Scouting Book's Top Prospects list is a Combined List, a calculated summary of the overall valuations of the entire prospect universe.
Remember: this page is the result of an automatic process that re-sorts and re-ranks players often.
If you think you have found a mistake, please read this blog entry before telling us. Then tell us.
Not to be confused with the older Oakland outfielder, this Michael ('Anthony') Taylor is a centerfielder in the Nationals organization. The Nats, who drafted him out of high school in the sixth round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft, have a shortage of true centerfield prospects in the system, which makes Taylor one to watch.
Full Scouting Report for Michael Taylor
SB 281BA SC BP SN ES ML
After the knee-crunching scare Buster Posey took in 2011, it's no wonder the Giants went looking for more catchers in the draft. Andrew Susac is a prototype power hitting catcher, 6-1 and 205lbs of fast-twitch muscle from the right side of the plate. He's a couple of years from earning any sort of meaningful role on the Giants, but he combines a good work ethic with all the raw tools any catcher needs to succeed, so he should be around awhile. If he sticks at catcher, the Giants might even feel inspired to move Buster Posey to somewhere much, much safer for the rest of his career, like third or first base.
Full Scouting Report for Andrew Susac
SB 282BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Tigers' sixth round pick in 2009, high school shortstop Dan Fields is the son of former Tigers' hitting coach Bruce Fields, which might explain his allegedly-advanced hitting ability as well as the reach that the team took in selecting him so early. Big and strong for a real shortstop, even in this post-Ripken era, Fields might be moved to third base or a corner outfield spot eventually, but it shouldn't matter: he'll rise or fall on his bat, which we have to assume will get a lot of careful coaching in the years to come. It'll need some, too: in his repeat of high-A ball in 2011, his batting average actually dropped from .240 to .220. Dad can't be pleased.
Full Scouting Report for Dan Fields
SB 283BA SC BP SN ES ML
While it was not surprise to see him blow away lesser Rookie leaguers, Austin also looked pretty darn good at low-A Staten Island last year, dinging out a solid 323/.402 /.542 line and swiping seven bases in seven attempts.
Full Scouting Report for Tyler Austin
SB 284BA SC BP SN ES ML
Adis (or sometimes, inexplicably, Adys) Portillo is a hard-throwing right-hander who shows more polish than most Venezuelan prospects. Portillo exhibits a dominating mound presence and great composure, featuring a moving fastball that tops out at about 94mph. It's the raw stuff he wields with three possible plus pitches, though, that puts him into the upper ranks of pitching prodigies.
Full Scouting Report for Adis Portillo
SB 285BA SC BP SN ES ML
A nominal shortstop with a great all-around toolset, Atlanta native Matt Lipka was bumped to the outfield thanks to the plethora of infield prospects zooming through the Braves system. Of course, we always thought that his plus-plus speed was wasted at shortstop anyway. Toolsy and athletic, Lipka was a quality wide receiver in high school before deciding to focus on the safer baseball route to a professional career. He'll be an under-the-radar type in 2012 thanks to the position change, but should reappear on the top of prospect lists come 2013. Don't forget about him.
Full Scouting Report for Matt Lipka
SB 286BA SC BP SN ES ML
A power-hitting teenager, shortstop Yady Rivera started 2011 in rookie ball but ended it in the Midwest (A) League, where he stumbled but seemed to find himself by the end of the year. He's still a few years from relevant.
Full Scouting Report for Yadiel Rivera
SB 287BA SC BP SN ES ML
A lumbering slugger, 1B/OF Marc Krauss is one of many corner bats simmering in the Arizona farm system. While his power has proven legit, his batting eye remains in question. He very much needs to keep lighting up scoreboards in order to get past some of the team's brighter and more decorated prospects.
Full Scouting Report for Marc Krauss
SB 288BA SC BP SN ES ML
A lefty reliever with a knee-buckling change, Dominican pitcher Edwar Cabrera has already racked up 149 strikeouts in 118 minor league innings. He'll start 2012 in AA, but could get work in the Rockies bullpen as early as this season.
Full Scouting Report for Edwar Cabrera
SB 289BA SC BP SN ES ML
A hard-hitting Cuban expat who's been lingering in the Dominican since the end of the Series Nacional's 2010 season, Matanzas native Roman Hernandez (Jorrin) is a corner power bat who probably ends up as a right field option in MLB, especially if he gives up on his self-image as a speed threat and sticks to spraying balls all over the field, which is his real strength.
Full Scouting Report for Roman Hernandez
SB 290BA SC BP SN ES ML
Lefthander Hector Santiago started 2011 in high-A Winston Salem, but finished it with the major league White Sox. A polished and well-rounded player, Santiago has struggled with his control from time to time, but has usually managed to strike out 9+ batters per game, and that's the usual measure of a top pitcher. His few innings with the White Sox were uninspiring, but they won't be his last. Look for him sometime during 2012's midseason.
Full Scouting Report for Hector Santiago
SB 291BA SC BP SN ES ML
A big college bat from Vanderbilt, Aaron Westlake is a nominal first baseman who's also being groomed to cover right field or the inevitable DH platoon in Detroit, and he should be ready soon. While the .264/.328/.377 line he posted in low-A ball isn't quite up to his college level (how could it be, the kid had a four year OPS of 1.003) it was definitely enough to flag him as legitimate, so expect him to be moved right along to high-A this season, with Detroit a likely landing spot in late 2013.
Full Scouting Report for Aaron Westlake
SB 292BA SC BP SN ES ML
A polished college righthander who went from good to great when tested as a closer, VT's Jessie Hahn has dropped off many prospect lists due to his TJ surgery, but his need for it was well-known when Tampa drafted him, and he's no less exciting now that he's returning to action. While he struggles with his control sometimes, Hahn has a near-unhittable 99-101mph fastball with movement that should be enough to propel him all the way to MLB, and soon.
Full Scouting Report for Jessie Hahn
SB 293BA SC BP SN ES ML
A squat, good-hitting catcher whose physique comes more from the Sandoval side of the Giants family tree than it does from the Posey branch, Venezuelan Hector Sanchez did such a nifty job in the minors in 2011 that the Giants zoomed him right to AT&T Park, where he nonchalantly knocked out 8 hits in his first 31 big-league at-bats (that's .324, nerds). He even popped two doubles and walked three times against only six strikeouts. If the Giants need a backup and some insurance against future Buster Posey collisions, they may have a solution in-hand already.
Full Scouting Report for Hector Sanchez
SB 294BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Red Sox best Latin American pitching prospect only two years ago, righthander Stolmy Pimentel is only 21 this year, but some scouts are already thinking about pulling the plug on his development. His 94mph fastball has good late life, and he uses it well, balanced against a curve, change and developing sinker that could all be serious pitches in another couple of years, but the phenom's performance in 2011 was phenomenally bad, 'highlighted' by a perfect 0-9, 9.12, 1.95 turn in fifteen AA starts. He may need to be broken down and built up again from scratch to be a factor in MLB, which means you can probably forget about 2012 and even 2013 for the young Dominican.
Full Scouting Report for Stolmy Pimentel
SB 295BA SC BP SN ES ML
A two-way star in high school, Jaff has a beautiful swing from the left side of the plate to go with a 94mph darting fastball... also from the left side. The Padres are viewing him as a centerfielder for now, though, and he has the bat and the range to hold that position down. He's young and still growing, but right now he looks like he might become the player Grady Sizemore can be when healthy.
Full Scouting Report for Jaff Decker
SB 296BA SC BP SN ES ML
A forgotten 13th round pick in 2010, third baseman Brandon Drury would up MVP of the Appy League last year as an 18 year old slugger. A gritty player who could become a fan favorite, he's an all-around infielder who isn't always pretty but usually gets the job done. The Braves will move slowly with Drury, as they don't yet have a glaring need and a few more developed infielders already in the system. He's a 2015'er, most likely.
Full Scouting Report for Brandon Drury
SB 297BA SC BP SN ES ML
The Phillies best third base prospect in a very long time, Dominican Maikel Franco is on a pretty good course toward the big club, though he shouldn't go ordering family pack tickets for another few years. A good all-around hitter, Franco notched an impressive .367/.411/.778 line at low-A Williamsport last year before sampling high-A ball in the fall.
Full Scouting Report for Maikel Franco
SB 298BA SC BP SN ES ML
A tree-trunk of a young man, Cubs prospect Dan Vogelbach won't win any sprints or high-jumping contests, but lordy, lordy, the boy can hit baseballs. Plus contact, plus-plus power to all fields, and a bucketful of moon-shots every day in batting practice: these are the things young Vogelbach is made of. In the NL, a man this large (the Cubs list him at 250lbs, but they're being very polite) is destined for first base, like it or not, and thankfully Vogelbach does show good hands and footwork around the bag.
Full Scouting Report for Dan Vogelbach
SB 299BA SC BP SN ES ML
Drafted in the 10th round of the 2008 draft, JJ Hoover is a tall, solidly-built right-hander in the Braves system today. He works primarily from his fastball, and since it can touch 98mph, who wouldn't? He's working on his slider and curve, and if either of those can grow into a true plus pitch, he'll be ready to embarrass major leaguers out of the Atlanta bullpen very soon. Expect to see him in 2012.
Full Scouting Report for JJ Hoover
SB 300BA SC BP SN ES ML
Prospects
Top Prospects 2012
Combined Ranking
281 to 300 of 525 Prospects
